I’ve been ‘meaning’ to switch from blogger to wordpress for ages and finally I decided to take the leap! I’m not technically inclined – I think that logical side of me is buried deep within. I don’t, though, hesitate to take on new projects except when it comes to computers and software. There’s something far too technical about them that keeps me at bay. I am what you would call WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) and I don’t want to have to think about all the ‘logical steps’ that goes into processing a command on the computer…perhaps that’s why it executes my mistakes perfectly and the end result isn’t at all what I intended it to be! The thing is, I do enjoy using a computer but it drives me nuts when logic takes over and clouds my artistic thinking. It usually takes me a few times to get it wrong in order to get it right or it’s the groans from my daughter when I ask her how it’s done – for the third time! Once I master it, the magical aha! moment erupts and I feel as though I’ve mastered the hardest task in the world. This recipe, grilled eggplant and tomato pizza, is my first posting as a WordPress blogger. Yay!

But I digress. Choosing someone to help migrate your site to another can seem like a daunting task but check around, ask questions and fondly enough, you’ll find someone. That’s what happened to me. I was searching sites using the keywords ‘blogger to wordpress migration’ and found Jeni. Her site, The Blog Maven, is geared perfectly for what I wanted and more. She was so patient with me and answered my wild/quirky questions. The transition, thus far, has been seamless. Now I have to fiddle with the design elements of my site, get out of my blogger comfort zone and get more familiar with all that wordpress has to offer. The new layout for posting is going to take some bit to get used to but in no time I’ll look back and laugh at what I thought was difficult to do. 🙂

Brush eggplant and tomato slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt. Grill eggplant in batches over moderately high heat, turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Place tomato slices on foil and grill until soft but still intact.

In a bowl, combine the olives, chiles and shredded basil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In the center, arrange half of the eggplant in a 9-inch square, overlapping the slices slightly. Top with half of the grilled tomatoes, olive mixture and Fontina. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheese.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes (if you can wait that long!).

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I made this again it’s that good! This dish is also very tasty the next day…if you have any leftovers. Enjoy!

Whenever I feel as though we’ve eaten too much red meat, we take a break and consume loads of veggies and ancient grains such as bulgur. It’s this sort of balance that keeps us healthy…I can’t recall the last time I had a cold or the flu. Bulgur is made from precooked wheat berries. It’s a perfect substitute for rice as it has more fiber and is low on the glycemic food index. We enjoy this ancient grain and especially like its chewy, mild nutty flavor. I’m sure you’ve eaten it before in dishes such as tabbouleh and pilafs. Because it’s low in fat and calories, it’s a perfect way to feel satiated without adding pounds. Bulgur is already partially cooked and therefore needs little time for preparation – perfect for a quick meal without jeopardizing nutrition.

In a medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Add bulgur and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Return to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes or until water is absorbed and bulgur is tender. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a small saucepan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add garlic and reduce heat to medium high. Cook and stir until garlic starts to turn golden around the edges. Remove from heat. Stir garlic and oil into bulgur mixture.

Bresaola is one of those Italian specialty meats that’s difficult to find on a regular basis so when I saw it at Eataly I grabbed a package – strike will the iron is hot. In the past I’ve come across recipes calling for bresaola but never had the chance to make and now that I had the opportunity I wasn’t sure how I was going to use it…funny that! I spotted an artichoke and decided to prepare the dish as if making carpaccio. Bresaola is a salt-cured, air-dried beef, is very lean and originated from northern Italy. This recipe is super easy to make.

Grapefruit and cheese might seem like an unlikely pairing but trust me, this combination is a taste bud sizzler! Halloumi is from the island of Cyprus and is a semi-hard, brined cheese made traditionally from sheep’s milk. It has a high melting point and is perfect for grilling or frying in a pan. We love halloumi! I’ve made it in a salad, wrapped in grilled red pepper, and prawn skewers. Its texture is firmer than fresh mozzarella with a slight salty flavor. When you chew it, it makes a squeaky sound. It’s our happy cheese as it makes us smile when we hear that sound!

Place grapefruit rounds on 4 serving plates. In a small bowl combine olive oil, vinegar and fresh mint. In a non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat add halloumi slices and fry until golden – about 2 or 3 minutes. Flip over and fry until golden. Remove from pan and place each slice on top of the grapefruit round. Top with mint dressing and season with freshly ground black pepper.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: When removing the grapefruit skin, do so over a bowl to catch any of the juices and add this to the dressing. Fresh and simple. Enjoy!

I try to make a conscious effort to include fiber-rich foods in our daily diet. Legumes such as navy beans, dried peas, lentils, barley, black beans, garbanzo (chick) beans, kidney beans, soy beans etc. are rich in fiber. Fiber has an important role to play if you want a healthy body. It helps with weight control, maintain normal cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels. For more on fiber, click here. The US has a higher consumption of meat than those from Southern Europe (they typically eat more vegetables, legumes, fish and wine). Researchers have found that higher consumption of legumes was associated with a substantial reduction in coronary heart disease.

My husband and I ate out after church last Sunday and couldn’t help but notice a family of three eat only the meat and french fries on their plate. The salad and vegetables were left behind! We were astonished horrified at the example being set for this young girl. And, of course, the meat portion nearly filled half the plate! A good rule of thumb to use when it comes to portion size – the meat should not be larger than the palm of your hand.

Place barley in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 2 inches. Season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain; run under cold water. Set aside. Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and 5 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl until emulsified. Season dressing with salt and pepper; set aside.

Jalapeño how do I love thee? Well, let’s see…baked, grilled, roasted and stuffed! I’ve used them a soup, quesadillas, cheddar crackers, in a muddled drink and encrusted with polenta. Jalapeño (hah-lah-PEEN-yo) is part of the chili pepper family and is picked while still green although they can be picked when fully ripened when they have turned red. Jalapeños health benefits include migraine relief, anti-inflammatory, helps prevent sinusitis and relieve congestion.

Preheat oven to 425f (220c). Wash peppers off. Cut in half and deseed…the heat is in the seeds and membrane. Use latex gloves to do this procedure otherwise the inside oil of the pepper clings to your skin and can irritate it, the mouth or eyes.

Lay out jalapeño halves and fill with cheese. I grated some of the cheese and some I cut chunks to fit inside the cavity of the jalapeño – either way will work.

Take the bacon slice and wrap around the pepper. Place on a baking sheet and cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Ready to eat!

The Culinary Chase’s Note: You can also use cheddar or goat cheese. The cheese helps to soften any heat coming from the jalapeño pepper. This was super easy to make and I loved the taste! Great hot out of the oven or even cooled a bit. Enjoy!

Don’t you love a good soup? I sure do and more so when there’s less time making it. This is Yvette Van Boven’s second book – a follow up to her popular cookbook, Homemade. Homemade Winter is full of hearty, body-warming dishes sure to satisfy the biggest of big appetites. I adore her illustrations and hand written notes along with mouth-watering photography…it makes me want to eat the page! Ok, enough gushing about the book my son gave me for Christmas. This recipe is so simple, easy to prepare and nutritionally hits all the buttons! Sweet potatoes don’t take long to prepare and are an excellent source of vitamin A, good source of vitamin C and manganese (keeps bones strong and healthy).

In a large pot over medium heat, cook leeks in the butter until soft. Add sweet potatoes and thyme and stir well. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add chickpeas and heat for another 5 minutes. Use the back of a spoon to smash the sweet potatoes against the sides of the pot to thicken the soup.

Preheat broiler. Cut baguette into slices and spread them with a bit of crème fraîche. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet, crumble with feta on top, and place under the broiler until golden brown.

Belgian endive is grown completely underground or indoors in the absence of sunlight in order to prevent the leaves from turning green and opening up. Exposure to light turns endive green and bitter so store it in a brown paper bag in the crisper. It’s an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and a good source of dietary fiber.

Preheat oven to 375f. Place a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the oil, butter and sugar and a pinch of salt – allow to melt. Place endive halves, cut-side down, in the pan. Do not move them for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they turn deep golden. Remove from heat. Transfer to a small oven-proof dish, arranging them cut-side up, close together. Sprinkle with half the thyme. Place slices of cheese on top and sprinkle with the rest of the thyme.

Place in oven and bake 8 to 12 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble. Serve hot.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I made this two days in a row it’s that good! Yotam first published this recipe in the Guardian in 2007 and he used Taleggio but later decided to change it to Gruyère for its piquant flavor. He also suggests trying raclette, which he said was “born to melt”. Enjoy!

I had a craving for something sweet and because it’s just the two of us, making a cake doesn’t make sense as we would be eating it for days to come. This super easy dessert stays moist even on day three! It’s so easy to whip up and I like the idea of baking it in a sauté pan.

Preheat oven to 180c (350f). Cream butter and sugar. Add the grated lemon zest. Add the eggs, and vanilla, stirring each to combine. In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch pan. Top with fruit. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle the mixture on top of the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is browned.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Let me just say this was absolutely delicious and John has asked me to make this again…with pleasure! Enjoy!